Spathiphyllum plant named ‘500JET’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Spathiphyllum  cultivar named ‘500JET’ is disclosed, characterized by large, dark green, foliage, strong, fast growing plants and clear white spathes. The new variety is commercially suitable for indoor plant production.

Latin name of the genus and species: Spathiphyllum hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘500JET’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The newvariety originated from a cross pollination, made by the inventor, of aproprietary unpatented seed parent and a proprietary, unpatented pollenparent, both Spathiphyllum hybrids. The crossing was performed at acommercial greenhouse in the Netherlands during April of 2007.

The new variety was discovered by the inventor, Wim Brouwer, a citizenof the Netherlands, in Feb. 10, 2008 in a group of seedlings resultingfrom the crossing. The new cultivar was found in a commercial greenhousebelonging to the inventor in Nootdorp, the Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘500JET’ was first performed inthe Netherlands by tissue culture Mar. 14, 2010. ‘500JET’ has beenreproduced by micro-propagation and has shown that the unique featuresof this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘500JET’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘500JET.’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘500JET’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllumcultivar:

-   -   1. Dark green foliage.    -   2. Large foliage.    -   3. Clear white spathes.    -   4. Durable and easy to grow plant    -   5. Fast growth habit.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘500JET’ cannot be compared to the seedparent as records of those characteristics were not kept. ‘500JET’ issimilar to the pollen parent in most characteristics, however, ‘500JET’has larger, darker colored foliage.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘500JET’ can be compared to compared to the commercial varietySpathiphyllum ‘Jetty’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,957. Plants of ‘Jetty’ aresimilar to plants of ‘500JET’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, ‘500JET’ grows faster than ‘Jetty’ and produces flowers thatare more clear white.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘500JET’ grown in a greenhouse in Apopka, Fla. Thisplant is approximately 9 months old, shown in a 6 inch pot. Thephotograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colorsmay appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it isas accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2001 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘500JET’ plants grown in a climate controlledgreenhouse in Apopka, Fla., USA. Temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22°C. at night to 18° C. to 22° C. during the day. No artificial light,photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to theplants. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typicalplant types.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum hybrid ‘500JET.’

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 18 days at approximately    25° C. soil temperature.-   Time to produce a fully rooted plantlet: Approximately 14 weeks at    approximately 20 to 30° C. soil temperature.-   Root description: Thick, fleshy roots with fine, fibrous lateral    roots. Color near Orange-White 158C.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Leaves growing directly from base of plant, with no    stems.-   Plant shape: Upright, leaves slightly arching downward.-   Height: Approximately 50 cm.-   Plant spread: Approximately 45 cm in a 6 inch pot.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Branching characteristics: No branching. Leaves emerge direct from    base of plant.-   Number of clumps of leaves: 10.-   Number of leaves per clump: Average 7.-   Number of leaves per plant: Approximately 70.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 9 months.-   Pot size of plant described: 6 inch.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Single leaves emerging basally.        -   Average length(excluding petiole).—Average 38.5 cm.        -   Average width.—Average 14.8 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Elliptic.        -   Aspect.—Slightly recurved.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, moderately glossy.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, moderately glossy.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near R.H.S. Green139B.            Young foliage under side: Near R.H.S. Green 137A. Mature            foliage upper side: Near R.H.S. Green139A. Mature foliage            under side: Near R.H.S. Green141C.-   Venation:    -   -   Type.—Pinnate.        -   Venation coloration upper side.—Green 143A.        -   Venation coloration under side.—Green 143C.-   Petiole(excluding Geniculum):    -   -   Length.—Approximately 28 cm.        -   Width.—At geniculum: Approximately 0.6 cm. Above clump:            Approximately 1.1 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 139B.        -   Strength.—Moderate.-   Geniculum:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 3.2 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 0.6 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 143A.

INFLORESCENCE

-   -   -   Arrangement.—Spathes with spadices held above the foliage on            erect peduncles arising from the petiole sheath.        -   Flowering habit.—Continuous.        -   Quantity of spathes per plant.—On average 3 to 6 fully open            spathes in good condition.        -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn to Winter.        -   Time to flowering.—6 months.        -   Fragrance.—Very slight. Sweet.        -   Self-cleaning or persistent.—Persistent.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers stay in good condition            approximately 6 to 12 weeks on the plant.

-   Spathe:    -   -   Aspect.—Slightly concave. More concave at base, mostly flat            moving towards apex.        -   Length.—Average 14 cm.        -   Width.—Average 7.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Color.—Front when opening: Near RHS White 155C. Back when            opening: Near RHS White 155C. Front when mature: Near RHS            White N155A. Back when mature: Near RHS White 155C. Fading            to: No fading.

-   Spadix:    -   -   Shape.—Columnar, arising from the top of the peduncle.        -   Tip.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Length.—Approximately 6.5 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 1.4 cm.        -   Color.—When opening: Near RHS Yellow-White 158C. Mature:            Near RHS Yellow-White 158A.        -   Quantity of flowers per spadix.—Approximately 100.        -   Spadix flower arrangement.—Bisexual, rounded.        -   Spadix flower diameter.—Approximately 0.2 cm.        -   Spadix flower depth.—Approximately 0.1 cm.

-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 35 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 0.8 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 139B.        -   Strength.—Moderate.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   -   -   Ovary color.—Near RHS 155B.        -   Stigma color.—Near RHS 155B.        -   Anther color.—Near RHS 155A.        -   Quantity of pollen.—Scant.        -   Pollen color.—Near RHS 155A.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    diseases or pests has been observed in this variety.-   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: The new cultivar is a typical    Spathiphyllum, cold tolerant to approximately 5 to 7° C. and does    not tolerate drought.-   Fruit/seed production: Not observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllumplant named ‘500JET’ as herein illustrated and described.